The Great Civilizations, Rivers and Wildlife of
West Africa
16 Days
Prices from $11,000 to $13,498
Day 1 - Friday
U.S. / En Route
We depart the U.S. aboard an Air France flight to
Paris. (Meals Aloft)
Day 2 - Saturday
Bamako, Mali
We connect with our onward
flight to Bamako, Mali’s capital, arriving in the evening and transferring to
the Hotel Salam. (Meals Aloft)
Day 3 -
Sunday
Bamako / Mopti
In the morning we take a charter flight to Mopti,
a vital port and trading center at the confluence of the Niger and Bani Rivers.
We take “pirogues” (dugout canoes) along the rivers, seeing some of the villages
on the rivers’ banks. We have time to explore Mopti, which has a fine mud-brick
mosque, and its busy port and markets, where there are excellent opportunities
to see and purchase handicrafts including jewelry, blankets and sculptures. We
spend the next three nights at the Hotel Kanaga. (B,L,D)
Day 4 - Monday
Djenné / Mopti
In the morning we drive to the
great and beautiful town of Djenné, dominated by its amazing Grand Mosque, a
huge and elaborate structure that is the largest mud-brick building in the
world. Many of Djenné’s houses are also fine examples of Sahelian architecture.
We walk through the town, and also visit a workshop where some of the area’s
famous, exquisite bogolan mud cloth is created. Monday is market day in Djenné,
and people come from all over the region to buy and sell their wares — a
remarkable and colorful sight. In the late afternoon we return to Mopti. (B,L,D)
Day 5 - Tuesday
Dogon Region / Mopti
We spend the day in the renowned Dogon Region. The
Dogon people live in an extremely remote area, with houses perched in
implausible fashion along the steep slopes of the Bandiagara Escarpment and on
the adjacent plateau and plains. The traditional belief systems of the Dogon
people are rich and elaborate, and are reflected in the design and layout of
their villages and in their famous carved masks and doors. We plan to visit
several traditional villages, where our stops include the granaries, fetish
houses and the togu-na (elders’ house). We conclude with a spirited mask dance
performance and a chance to buy local artwork and carvings, before we return to
Mopti for the night. (B,L,D)
Day 6 - Wednesday
Timbuktu / Bamako
This morning we take a private
charter flight to Timbuktu. Founded in the 11th century, Timbuktu became a
powerful city, capital of the vast Songhai Empire in the 1500s, and a center of
learning and scholarship. European explorers were captivated by stories of
Timbuktu’s enormous wealth, but by the time they arrived in the 1800s, they
found a much less imposing place. Today Timbuktu is a pleasant town with many
echoes of the past. We tour the city on foot, visiting the Djinguereber and
Sankore mosques, dating from the 14th and 15th centuries. On our walk through
the city’s winding streets, we will see its distinctive architecture, some of
the houses that the explorers occupied and the market. We’ll stop at the Port of
Timbuktu on the Niger River, where the energetic can climb a sand dune for a
view of the inland river delta and the desert beyond. In the afternoon, we fly
to Bamako and stay once again at the Hotel Salam, on the banks of the Niger
River. (B,L,D)
Day 7 -
Thursday
Bamako
This morning, we tour Bamako, set on the banks
of the great Niger River. We visit the National Museum, which houses an
outstanding collection of West African art and fine displays on weaving and
other crafts. We also visit the artisans’ market. (B,L,D)
Day 8 - Friday
Bamako / Dakar, Senegal / Embark the Callisto
After a morning at leisure, we
transfer to the airport for the short flight to Dakar, the capital of Senegal.
We transfer to the dock, embark the Callisto, and sail in the evening.
Our next seven nights are aboard this beautiful yacht. (B,L,D)
Day 9 - Saturday
Saloum River /
Djiffere / Fadiout, Senegal
In the morning, Callisto will
enter Senegal’s Saloum River and sail through scenic waterways and small
islands to the village of Djiffere. We drive to the fishing village of Fadiout,
one of Senegal's most fascinating sites: the island is composed entirely of
shells that have accumulated over the centuries. Everything here is made of
shells - they are on the walls of the houses and cover the narrow pathways. In
the evening, Callisto will enter the Gambia River and sail to Tendaba,
(B,L,D)
Day 10 - Sunday
Tendaba / Kiang West National Park . Baobolong Wetland Reserve, The
Gambia
The
village of Tendaba is our base for exploring two of The Gambia’s wildlife
reserves, Kiang West and Baobolong. In the morning we visit a section of Kiang
West National Park, looking for birds, monkeys, baboons and warthogs. Kiang West
has more than 250 species of birds, including 21 species of raptors, 10 species
of kingfishers, hornbills, and the rare brown-necked parrot and Abyssinian
roller. In the afternoon, we board local boats to navigate the waterways and
maze of islands comprising Baobolong Wetland Reserve, a notable bird sanctuary
with mangroves over 60 feet tall. (B,L,D)
Day 11 - Monday
Kuntaur / Wassu Stone Circles, Gambia River
Early in the
morning, Callisto sails deeper into the River Gambia. Beyond Tendaba the river
narrows, and its banks are covered by tropical forest. Passing by remote
villages with grass-thatched huts, we arrive in the village of Kuntaur. As the
ship navigates the twisting river, we look for hippos. From Kuntaur, which is
set on a beautiful bend of the river, we explore the nearby Wassu Stone Circles,
the remnants of an ancient Senegambian culture dating to about 750 A.D. We are
greeted in the village by a traditional ceremony. (B, L, D)
Day 12
- Tuesday
River Gambia National Park /
Janjanbureh
We board local motorized pirogues in the
morning to see the five mid-river Baboon Islands that constitute the River
Gambia National Park. The islands also house the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation
Project, set up in 1969. We look for monkeys and other wildlife as our boat
cruises by the lushly forested islands. We end at the town of Janjanbureh, also
known by its colonial name of Georgetown, once an important trading post for the
British. Most of the buildings in the old town date from the 19th century. There
is an opportunity to shop for local crafts. Janjanbureh’s woodlands and leafy
riverfront house a large number of bird species, and you will have the
opportunity to take a nature and bird watching walk. (B, L, D)
Day 13 - Wednesday
Gambia River
We sail from Janjanbureh in the morning on
our downriver journey, en route to Banjul, enjoying river views and life along
the way. We arrive in Banjul late in the evening. (B, L, D)
Day 14 - Thursday
Banjul / Abuko Nature
Reserve / Makasutu Culture Forest
Founded by the British early in the 19th
century near the entrance to the Gambia River to safeguard their commercial
interests, Banjul is the capital and commercial center of The Gambia. In the
morning we drive to the Abuko Nature Reserve, one of the last surviving examples
of tropical riverine forest in the country. Within its confines are about 300
species of birds, plus the chance of seeing red colobus monkeys, Nile
crocodiles, bushbuck, and small mammals and reptiles. We continue to the
Makasutu Culture Forest, a private nature habitat with beautiful woodland and
waterways. We return to Banjul to visit the National Museum, whose exhibits
illustrate the history and culture of the country. (B,L,D)
Day 15 - Friday
Dakar / Disembark / Gorée Island / En Route
We disembark in Dakar this morning and visit Gorée
Island, where for 300 years slaves were held before being sent overseas. It is
impossible to be here without imagining the appalling conditions and the
heartbreak that people must have felt at being separated from their loved ones
and homeland. After Gorée, we visit the Marché Soumbedioune, an artisans’
market. Time permitting, we visit the IFAN Museum, which has a fine collection
of traditional art and exhibits on village life. We have dayrooms and dinner at
the Sofitel before we transfer to the airport for our evening flight to Paris. (B,L,D)
Day 16 - Saturday
U.S.
We arrive in Paris and connect with onward flights
home. (Meals Aloft)
A note about this
journey: During the time you are
in Mali, you will be staying in hotels of varying quality. In all cases, they
are clean, comfortable and the best available in their locations, but please
don’t expect five-star luxury in this part of the world. For your seven nights
aboard the Callisto, on the other hand, you’ll find elegant and
gracious accommodations. We will be traveling in a part of the world where
things don’t always go like clockwork, so please be tolerant if things aren’t
always precisely the way they’ve been planned. You’ll enjoy yourself greatly if
you approach the journey with a spirit of adventure!
2008 West Africa
Pricing
Information
===================================================================
Category A Cabins: $13,498
Category B Cabins: $12,898
Category C Cabins: $12,098
Category D Cabins: $11,498
All costs are per person based on double occupancy.
Limited Single Cabins aboard the Callisto
are available in Category C only for an additional charge of $4,946.
Sample International Airfare:
Roundtrip from New York starting at $1,500.
Applicable taxes will apply. Airfare varies and is subject to change until
ticketed. Fares are for general information only and not a reflection of
current seat availability.
Ticketing fee will apply.
Ship fuel surcharges may apply.